DOZENS of children have been left homeless and living in temporary accommodation in Herefordshire, figures reveal.

The housing charity Shelter estimates a child was made homeless every eight minutes across Britain last year, with many staying in cold and cramped spaces and uprooted from friends.

Analysis of Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data by the charity shows that 57 children were homeless and living in temporary accommodation in Herefordshire at the end of March.

Across the West Midlands, the figure stood at 7,400. The charity’s analysis suggests the equivalent of 14 children every day were made homeless in 2018-19.

Across Britain that figure rises to 183 children per day – enough to fill more than two double-decker buses.

If the rate remains the same this month, around 4,600 more children would lose their home between the start of December and Christmas Day.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said the “scandalous” figure is a reminder that political promises about tackling homelessness must be turned into real action.

Shelter estimates at least 135,000 children in Britain will be homeless and in temporary accommodation by Christmas Day – the highest number in 12 years.